May 18th:
We woke at 5 am to prepare for our tour of the Demilitarized Zone. Continue reading
On the Road: The DMZ
2
Category Archives: Travel Photos
On the Road: First Day in Seoul
May 17th:
We began our day at 9am, walking through the temporarily deserted streets of Myeong-dong, one of the shopping districts of Seoul, in search of the nearest metro station. Arriving late the previous night, we had only seen the city in the dark while riding the bus from Incheon. Perhaps because we had recently visited both Japan and China, we looked for their reflection in Seoul. At first, the city seemed like a compromise between Beijing and Tokyo. The wideness of the streets, the vendors with their stalls, and some of the low, bulky buildings, all reminded us of China. Yet the total lack of pungent smells, the human scale of the architecture, and the demeanor of the people, resembled cities in Japan.
“What will be interesting,” Dan said, “will be to see what’s really unique about Seoul.”
On the Road: Relaxing in Lijiang
July 1st: Woke up early to check whether the weather would be clear enough for us to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. When I spoke with the woman at our hotel, she didn’t recommend it, as it was rainy and cloudy. I was disappointed, but on the bright side, we got to sleep in late. Continue reading
On the Road: Exploring Shaxi Old Town
June 28th: Ate another scrumptious breakfast at the Dragonfly and headed out to see the old town of Shaxi. A long, hot, sunny walk through the rice fields again. Several young Chinese teenagers passed us by on their bikes, many of them saying hesitantly, as if they were interested to see what we’d do– “Hello!” We always said hello back, laughing and smiling. (The kids in this little town are the friendliest we’ve met in China so far.) Continue reading
On the Road: Hike to Shibao Mountain
June 27th: We started the day with a delicious breakfast cooked for us by Mr. Wu’s wife. As we were eating, I noticed how completely quiet it was. (Usually, it is impossible to escape, even indoors, the omnipresent honking endemic to most Chinese cities and towns.) Mr. Wu gave us a hand-drawn map at breakfast of the nearby mountain, so we soon set off with it in hand. Continue reading
On the Road: Journey to the Chinese Boonies
June 26th: It took a taxi, a three-and-a-half hour bus drive, an hour-long van ride, a ricksha, and a great deal of confusion, but it seems we’ve reached one of the most beautiful places in China.
We left Dali around 11am after a hearty breakfast accompanied by malaria pills. The woman at our hotel, who had excellent English, saved our lives by calling the cab driver ahead of time and asking him to help us buy tickets for Jianchuan. After about a half hour taxi ride to the bus station, the driver dutifully accompanied us inside the station and used his Chinese to purchase the correct tickets. We would have been lost without him.
China: Photo Highlights
This gallery contains 6 photos.
Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the trip so far. This is just a taste– more to follow. (Click on each photo to enlarge.)
On the Road: Kunming
June 23rd: Flew to Kunming on China Eastern Air. A heart attack-inducing morning. Continue reading
On the Road: First Week in China
June 14th and 15th: Flew direct from Chicago to Beijing, crossing over the Hudson Bay, the North Pole, Siberia, and the forests of Russia. Arrived in Beijing at 11:30 pm.